ADAPTIVE ENERGY ABSORBER
First Claim
1. An apparatus for absorbing energy comprising:
- a first steering column member;
a second steering column member connected to said first steering column member for sliding movement;
a first anvil associated with said first steering column member; and
an energy absorbing member having a first portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said first anvil in response to said sliding movement and a second portion connected to said second steering column member and a third portion spaced from said first portion and said second portion and deformable in response to said sliding movement before said first portion is drawn over said first anvil.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for absorbing energy includes first and second steering column members connected for sliding movement. A first anvil is associated with one of the first and second steering column members and an energy absorbing member is provided having a first portion that extends around and operable to be drawn over the first anvil in response to the sliding movement between the first and second steering column members. A dead loop is formed in the energy absorbing member between its mounting location and the first anvil and is operative to enable the dead loop to straighten in response to application of an applied force prior to movement of the energy absorbing member across the first anvil.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus for absorbing energy comprising:
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a first steering column member;
a second steering column member connected to said first steering column member for sliding movement;
a first anvil associated with said first steering column member; and
an energy absorbing member having a first portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said first anvil in response to said sliding movement and a second portion connected to said second steering column member and a third portion spaced from said first portion and said second portion and deformable in response to said sliding movement before said first portion is drawn over said first anvil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for absorbing energy comprising:
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a first steering column member;
a second steering column member connected to said first steering column member for sliding movement;
a first anvil having a first axis and associated with said first steering column member;
a second anvil having a second axis and associated with said second steering column member; and
an energy absorbing member having a first portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said first anvil about said first axis and a second portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said second anvil about said second axis wherein said first and second axis are transverse with respect to one another. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. An energy absorbing apparatus, comprising:
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a first member;
a second member;
said first and second members being relatively moveable in response to application of a predetermined moving force to at least one of said first and second members;
at least one anvil mounted on one of said first and second members;
a plastically deformable energy absorbing member fixed to the other of said first and second members at a mounting location spaced from said at least one anvil and extending therefrom along an extending section of said energy absorbing member to said at least one anvil where said energy absorbing member is bent around said at least one anvil; and
a dead loop formed in said extending section of said energy absorbing member between said mounting location and said at least one anvil so as to be in unconfronting relation to any anvil to enable said dead loop to straighten in response to application of said applied force prior to movement of said energy absorbing member across said at least one anvil.
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Specification